High order PLS path modeling to evaluate well-being merging traditional and big data: A longitudinal study

[EN] We propose using high order partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) todefine a synthetic Italian well-being index merging traditional data,represented by the Quality of Life index proposed by “Il Sole 24 Ore”, andinformation provided by big data, represented by a Subjective Well-beingIndex (SWBI) performed extracting moods by Twitter. High order constructs,which allow to define a more abstract higher-level dimension and its moreconcrete lower-order sub-dimensions, have gained wide attention inapplications of PLS-PM, and many contributions in literature proposed theiruse to build composite indicators. The aim of the paper is to underline somecritical issues in the use of these models and to suggest the implementation ofa new spurious repeated indicator approach. Furthermore, following somerecommendations proposed on the use of PLS-PM in longitudinal studies, wecompare the situation in 2016 and 2017.De Battisti, F.; Siletti, E. (2020). High order PLS path modeling to evaluate well-being merging traditional and big data: A longitudinal study. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 95-102. https://doi.org/10.4995/CARMA2020.2020.11599OCS9510

Empirical insights on the nature of synergies among HRM policies - an analysis of an ethics-oriented HRM system

In the last years, several HRM scholars have theoretically support the idea that the policies bundled in an HRM system present synergistic effects. Surprisingly, empirical studies about those synergistic effects are scarce, and their results unstable. As a result, some critical voices in the HR field are questioning the idea of synergies among HR policies, and calling for more research which does not take them for granted. Addressing this gap, this study tests the existence and nature of synergies in HRM systems targeted at improving the employees' perception of benevolent and principled ethical climates. Results from a probabilistic sample of 6000 employees from 6 European countries highlight that synergies occur both for benevolent and principled ethical climates, even if the specific components of the HRM system presenting synergistic effects are different in the two cases. Implications of the findings for HRM practice are presented and discussed

An Innovative Education Experience for Future Foreign Language Teachers

This contribution aims to describe the innovative experience related to the Laboratori e Tirocini di Introduzione alle Metodologie e Tecnologie Didattiche/Teaching Labs, which have been developed since A.Y. 2017/18 as part of the courses in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Verona. The objective of these Laboratori was to offer a preliminary teacher education experience for students interested in becoming foreign language and literature teachers. The article will first discuss the rationale at the basis of the Laboratori project, also in connection to the importance of introducing language and literature students to the teaching profession, within the strategic priorities identified by the 2021 European Resolution in the field of education and training. The structure of the Laboratori and their characteristics will then be described in detail, highlighting the innovative aspects, in particular with reference to the blended learning approach, the familiarisation with the eTwinning European project, the micro-teaching sessions, as well as the practicum in lower and upper secondary schools. Some qualitative results and future perspectives will finally be discussed, including the developments which have led to the new Teaching Lab: Methodologies, Technologies and Practicum structure

Dermal regeneration template: reconstruction in oral cancer defects

BackgroundPost ablative oral mucosal defect resulting from the removal of tumors can be treated with various techniques.PurposeIn this paper, we are showing what, in our experience, are the advantages and disadvantages given using biosynthetic skin substitutes when dealing with this kind of lesions.Materials and methodsPatients included in the sample came to our attention with both neoplastic lesions (11 subjects) and important scar retraction after previous oncologic surgery (1 subject). All patients underwent trans-oral resection surgery following the same surgical protocol and post ablative oral mucosal defect were treated using the dermal regeneration template. The surgical defect location, size, and time of removal of the silicone layer varied from one subject to the other.ResultsMost patients showed good healing with reduced scarring and adequate remucosalisation of the defect. The main complications were shown in a palatal lesion treated with concomitant osteal resection, which developed an oroantral fistula at follow up, and tongue lesions which showed some scarring.ConclusionsGiven our experience, we would advise using dermal substitutes when reconstructing oral defects only after a cautious evaluation of the area of the lesion, the gap size, the possible adherence of the membrane to the gap, and the presence of tissue supporting the overlying membrane

Effet du stress hydrique hivernal sur la communauté d’oiseaux nicheurs d’une zone humide résiduelle en Italie centrale

We evaluated the effects of winter water stress on breeding bird communities and two assemblages of species (wet-reed species and open-habitat species) in a remnant coastal wetland of central Italy. Data were obtained by means of mapping method, on a five year-period (2001-2005), comprising a water stress year (2002). At community level, species richness, diversity index, evenness and consuming biomass showed the lowest values in the 2002 breeding season, but only the last parameter showed significant differences with the previous (2001) and subsequent (2003) years. In the paired years 2001-2002 and 2002-2003, species turnover was highest and percentage similarity index was lowest. Only considering the wet-reed assemblage, we observed that: species richness decreased in 2002 in comparison to other years; the values of diversity index and consuming biomass changed significantly between that year and both previous (2001) and subsequent year (2003); ecological density (i.e. density in the suitable habitat) of these species was significantly lower in 2002 year compared to 2001. The significant decrease of the consuming biomass was due to the local disappearance of the species more strictly linked to water habitats and to the Phragmites reed-beds, with a higher mean body mass as compared to open-habitat species. No similar changes were observed for open-habitat species. Changes between years were more due to species turnover rather than abundance turnover. Wetland habitat conditions, i.e. linked to water level, were crucial to year-to-year variation in breeding bird species richness and density in the study areaNous avons évalué les effets du stress hydrique hivernal sur les peuplements d'oiseaux nicheurs et deux communautés d'espèces (des roselières humides et des milieux ouverts) dans une zone humide résiduelle du centre de l'Italie. Les données ont été obtenues par cartographie durant une période de cinq ans (2001-2005) comprenant une année de stress hydrique (2002). Au niveau du peuplement, la richesse spécifique, l'indice de diversité et celui de l'équirépartition ainsi que la biomasse consommante ont affiché leurs plus faibles valeurs durant la saison de reproduction 2002 mais seul le dernier paramètre a montré des différences significatives avec l'année précédente (2001) et suivante (2003). Durant les périodes appariées 2001-2002 et 2002-2003, le renouvellement des espèces fut le plus grand et l'indice de similarité le plus petit. En ne considérant que la communauté des roselières humides, on a observé que la richesse spécifique a diminué en 2002 comparativement aux autres années; les valeurs de l'indice de diversité et la biomasse consommante ont changé de manière significative entre cette année et à la fois la précédente (2001) et la suivante (2003); la densité écologique (i.e. la densité dans l'habitat convenable) de ces espèces fut significativement plus faible en 2002 qu'en 2001. La baisse significative de la biomasse consommante fut due à la disparition locale des espèces plus strictement liées aux habitats aquatiques et aux phragmitaies, avec une masse corporelle moyenne plus forte que celle des espèces des milieux ouverts. Aucun changement similaire ne fut observé chez les espèces des milieux ouverts. Les changements entre années furent plus dus au renouvellement des espèces qu'à celui de leurs abondances. Les conditions d'habitat des zones humides, i.e. liées au niveau d'eau, ont été cruciales pour la variation interannuelle de la richesse spécifique et de la densité des oiseaux nicheurs dans la zone d'étude

Tumor derived Microvesicles enhance cross-processing ability of clinical grade Dendritic Cells

Tumor cells release extracellular microvesicles (MVs) in the microenvironment to deliver biological signals to neighbouring cells as well as to cells in distant tissues. Tumor-derived MVs appear to play contradictory role promoting both immunosuppression and tumor growth and both evoking tumor specific immune response. Recent evidences indicate that tumor-derived MVs can positively impact Dendritic Cells (DCs) immunogenicity by reprogramming DC antigen processing machinery and intracellular signaling pathways, thus promoting anti-tumor response. DCs are considered pivot cells of the immune system due to their exclusive ability to coordinate the innate and acquired immune responses, cross-present exogenous antigens and prime naïve T cells. DCs are required for the induction and maintenance of long-lasting anti-tumor immunity and their exploitation has been extensively investigated for the design of anti-tumor vaccines. However, the clinical grade culture conditions that are required to generate DCs for therapeutic use can strongly affect their functions. Here, we investigated the immunomodulatory impact of MVs carrying the MUC1 tumor glycoantigen (MVsMUC1) as immunogen formulation on clinical grade DCs grown in X-VIVO 15 (X-DCs). Results indicated that X-DCs displayed reduced performance of the antigen processing machinery in term of diminished phagocytosis and acidification of the phagosomal compartment suggesting an altered immunogenicity of clinical grade DCs. Pulsing DCs with MVsMUC1 restored phagosomal alkalinization, triggering ROS increase. This was not observed when a soluble MUC1 protein was employed (rMUC1). Concurrently, MVsMUC1 internalization by X-DCs allowed MUC1 cross-processing. Most importantly, MVsMUC1 pulsed DCs activated IFNγ response mediated by MUC1 specific CD8+ T cells. These results strongly support the employment of tumor-derived MVs as immunogen platforms for the implementation of DC-based vaccine

Thermochromic polyethylene films doped with perylene chromophores: experimental evidence and methods for characterization of their phase behaviour

We report on a thermochromic system suitable for sensing temperature changes in the 30-70 degrees C regime based on linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) films doped with N,N'-bis-(1'-phenylethyl)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxydiimide (PE-Pery), a fluorescent aggregachromic dye. At low PE-Pery concentration (0.01-0.02 wt%), the dye monomers were well dispersed in the polymer matrix showing their maximum fluorescence intensity at 525 nm. As the dye content was increased, monomers emission quenched whereas dye aggregates prevailed above 0.05 wt% as well as their red fluorescence band at 620-680 nm. Upon heating from 30 to 70 degrees C, all films displayed a thermochromic response, more evident for the less concentrated samples (<0.05 wt%) in which the emission of the dye as a monomer continuously increased with increasing temperature. This phenomenon promoted effective color changes from a dull red-violet at 30 degrees C to a bright yellow-green at 70 degrees C. Combined DSC and variable-temperature Solid State NMR (SSNMR) measurements addressed the thermochromic behavior to the increased amount of the available amorphous phase and to the increased mobility of both the interphase and amorphous components with temperature, which favored PE-Pery dispersion and diffusion, thus recovering their fluorescence. Overall, the present results support the use of PE-Pery-enriched LLDPE films as a chromogenic material suitable for the detection of temperature changes close to the physiological regime

Tumor-derived microvesicles modulate antigen cross-processing via reactive oxygen species-mediated alkalinization of phagosomal compartment in dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the only antigen-presenting cells able to prime naïve T cells and cross-prime antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Their functionality is a requirement for the induction and maintenance of long-lasting cancer immunity. Albeit intensively investigated, the in vivo mechanisms underlying efficient antigen cross-processing and presentation are not fully understood. Several pieces of evidence indicate that antigen transfer to DCs mediated by microvesicles (MVs) enhances antigen immunogenicity. This mechanism is also relevant for cross-presentation of those tumor-associated glycoproteins such as MUC1 that are blocked in HLA class II compartment when internalized by DCs as soluble molecules. Here, we present pieces of evidence that the internalization of tumor-derived MVs modulates antigen-processing machinery of DCs. Employing MVs derived from ovarian cancer ascites fluid and established tumor cell lines, we show that MV uptake modifies DC phagosomal microenvironment, triggering reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and early alkalinization. Indeed, tumor MVs carry radical species and the MV uptake by DCs counteracts the chemically mediated acidification of the phagosomal compartment. Further pieces of evidence suggest that efficacious antigen cross-priming of the MUC1 antigen carried by the tumor MVs results from the early signaling induced by MV internalization and the function of the antigen-processing machinery of DCs. These results strongly support the hypothesis that tumor-derived MVs impact antigen immunogenicity by tuning the antigen-processing machinery of DCs, besides being carrier of tumor antigens. Furthermore, these findings have important implications for the exploitation of MVs as antigenic cell-free immunogen for DC-based therapeutic strategies

Niemann-Pick type C disease mutations of NPC1 gene and evidence of abnormal expression of some mutant alleles in fibroblasts

We analyzed Niemann-Pick type C disease 1 (NP44406) gene in 12 patients with Niemann-Pick type C disease by sequencing both cDNA obtained from fibroblasts and genomic DNA. All the patients were compound heterozygotes. We found 15 mutations, eight of which previously unreported. The comparison of cDNA and genomic DNA revealed discrepancies in some subjects. In two unrelated patients carrying the same mutations (P474L and nt 2972del2) only one mutant allele (P474L), was expressed in fibroblasts. The mRNA corresponding to the other allele was not detected even in cells incubated with cycloheximide. The promoter variants (−1026T/G and −1186T/C or −238 C/G), found to be in linkage with 2972del2 allele do not explain the lack of expression of this allele, as they were also found in control subjects. In another patient, (N1156S/Q922X) the N1156S allele was expressed in fibroblasts while the expression of the other allele was hardly detectable. In a fourth patient cDNA analysis revealed a point mutation in exon 20 (P1007A) and a 56 nt deletion in exon 22 leading to a frameshift and a premature stop codon. The first mutation was confirmed in genomic DNA; the second turned out to be a T→G transversion in exon 22, predicted to cause a missense mutation (V1141G). In fact, this transversion generates a donor splice site in exon 22, which causes an abnormal pre-mRNA splicing leading to a partial deletion of this exon. In some NPC patients, therefore, the comparison between cDNA and genomic DNA may reveal an unexpected expression of some mutant alleles of NPC1 gene